How streaming, diversity, #MeToo shaped TV decade of change

[Steve Timko]

How streaming, diversity, #MeToo shaped TV decade of change

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Game of Thrones” was both an unprecedented achievement and old-school role model in the TV decade that’s...

Read the full story on https://apnews.com/9d88d4aa1ebbca6a0d00f099bc7a5677

[Tom Wolper]

Given the scope of the assignment - wrap up the decade in television - and space limitations, I won't make strong against Lynn Elber for missing the point. But reading this has gotten me musing about what the greatest changes in television have been. These are a couple of things I came up with and if anybody else wants to add on, please do.

1. The shift to HDTV/4K and larger home screens. The shift to digital TV happened in 2009 and everything is now shot for 40" screens. When I was young it was pointed out that movies were shot for theater screens and needed elements to fill the screen. TV, on the other hand, was on smaller and lower resolution screens so designs had to be much simpler and there was an emphasis on close ups. Now all TV is made to movie production standards.

2. The short season triumphs. When we would compare British and American TV, when someone would point out the superiority of a British show the response would be that it was easier to tell that story or follow those characters in an 8 or 10 show season and American TV seasons were 23 shows. These days an American TV producer can make a 10 show season for a series with no problem and it can face a series with a 23 episode season for an Emmy.

3. The fall of influence of network TV. Those of us who grew up before cable think of TV as a hierarchy with the OTA networks at the top. Outside of events and live sports the networks don't get anywhere near the same number of viewers they did 10 years ago. And the budgets, prestige, and attention go to series on premium cable or streaming services.